COLUMBUS, Ohio: May 1, 2009 - Senior John Mahoney (Richboro, Pa.) posted an NCAA regional-qualifying effort in the 3,000-meter steeplechase despite rainy and cold conditions, Friday at the Jesse Owens Classic at Ohio State University. Due to the several delays in competition, several of Friday's events will be moved to Saturday.
Through a driving rain, Mahoney clocked a personal-best 9:03.73 in the steeplechase, earning a trip to the NCAA Regional Championships and taking 14th in an outstanding section, that included 17 regional-qualifying marks.
The Nittany Lions got more strong performances on distance night, with Samuel Borchers (Yellow Springs, Ohio) taking third place in the 1500-meters in 3:47.94 - just .14 off the regional standard. Vince McNally (Smoketown, Pa.) took eighth in the same race, finishing in 3:50.76, while teammate Owen Dawson (Coatesville, Pa.) placed ninth in 3:51.49. Senior Meghan Noecker (Reading, Pa.) was the top finisher in the women's 1500, turning in an eighth-place finish in 4:32.56.
Junior Tyler McCandless (Bath, Pa.) also earned a top 10 finish placing 10th in the 5,000-meters in 14:34.88.
In one of the few field events to finish, Joe Kovacs (Nazareth, Pa.) and Frank Duca (Middletown, Pa.) provided personal-best efforts in the hammer throw, tossing 183-7 (55.97) and 183-5 (55.92), respectively.
Action kicks off on Saturday with the women's hammer throw beginning at 8:30 a.m., with the rest of the events scheduled to get underway at 11:00 a.m.